1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to mechanisms for absorbing the recoil force of guns.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally most of the recoil force of a gun which is mounted on a pair of trunnions is absorbed by a pair of recoil adapters through respective displacements and converted into heat. Each adapter may contain a mechanical or fluid spring mechanism. A portion of the recoil force may be utilized to directly drive an ammunition feed mechanism, as shown for example, by A. L. Montana in U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,556 issued Aug. 3, 1971, and by B. Maillard et al in U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,657 issued Dec. 24, 1968.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,058 issued on Oct. 28, 1975 to L.R. Folsom et al there is disclosed a gun which minimizes peak recoil forces on the trunnions by transferring much of the recoil force during the recoil period of the gun cycle to a rotary gun drive mechanism.